A Lament for Gandalf
by elvenrarehunter
Summary: Legolas reflects on Gandalf's death in Lothlorien.


A lament for Gandalf Summary: Legolas reflects on Gandalf's death in Lothlorien.  
  
A/N: I just want to say that I made up some memories for Legolas so don't flame me because of those.  
  
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Legolas walked about the camp, his head looking skyward and his hands clasped about a silver pitcher. From every corner of Lothlorien, the elves sang of Gandalf's departure from this world.  
  
"A lament for Gandalf," he said, slowing to a halt.  
  
"What do they say?" Merry asked. Legolas turned and looked at the hobbit.  
  
"I have not the heart to tell you, for me the grief is still too near," he said. His calm visage slowly was taken over by a cruel anger. He could no longer stand it. He threw the pitcher to the ground and stalked off.  
  
"Where are you going?" Pippin asked. Legolas stopped in midstep and turned to face the naïve hobbit.  
  
"To be alone," he said. Before any of the camp members could protest, he was out of sight, letting his feet carry him as far from the camp as he dared go. He stopped beside the river Nimrondel. He sat on its banks and leaned against a tree. He could still faintly hear the singing, yet it did not bother him from this distance. He sighed and closed his eyes in remembrance.  
  
~Flashback~  
  
The wind blew the leaves on the trees as a young elf with pale blonde hair climbed up the rough bark. He sat atop a high branch, never once looking down. He kept his face to the wind, as it blew the hair out of his face. Below him, he could hear his nursemaid calling him, yet he made no move to answer the beckoning. He waited to make any movement until she was long out of earshot. He descended a little farther down the tree, picking a nice, strong branch as a place to relax. He was nearly asleep when he heard someone shout his name.  
  
"PRINCE LEGOLAS! GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT!" So startled was the young elven prince that he fell out of the tree, landing on the ground in front of a large wagon. A wizard sat atop the wagon, sporting a short grey beard and grey clothes. "Sorry, had to get you out of there somehow," he said, extending a hand to the prince, who rejected it and got up himself, brushing the dirt off his clothes.  
  
"My father told me never talk to strangers," he said. The wizard laughed.  
  
"Then it's a very good thing I'm not a stranger. Don't you remember me? I didn't think it was that long ago that we met. Perhaps...it's the beard?" he asked. Legolas looked him over.  
  
"Mithrandir?" he asked. The wizard nodded and patted the seat next to him.  
  
~End flashback~  
  
'That was so long ago' Legolas thought to himself. That was the second time he had met Gandalf if he remembered correctly. The sounds of the river no longer comforted him. Tears stung at his eyes, yet he did not allow them to fall. He felt a hand under his chin, gently coaxing him to look up. When he did, he looked straight into the face of the Lady of the Wood.  
  
"Do not hide your feelings, young one. It is alright for you to mourn your losses," she said, kneeling next to him. Legolas could no longer keep the tears from falling. He turned his head away from the Golden Lady, yet Galadriel did not go away. Instead, she pulled Legolas toward her and held him there as he let his tears fall. "I know this is not the first one you have lost, young one, for your naneth went to the Valinor, am I correct?" she asked. Legolas looked up at her.  
  
"Yes," he muttered. He suddenly thought of the first time he met Gandalf. His mother was there and he was so very young.  
  
~Flashback~  
  
"Legolas?" a sweet voice called, invading Legolas' dreams. He slowly drifted back into reality as the face of his naneth came into his view, she picked him up and balanced him on her hip. "Tonight's the party," she said. Legolas' eyes glittered. He knew all about parties. He could barely wait. She walked out onto the balcony, shielding her eyes from the sun. Judging by the height, she guessed it was about...say maybe four o'clock in the afternoon.  
  
"Naneth?" Legolas asked. The woman looked back.  
  
"What is it, little one?"  
  
"Is Ehwond (Elrond) coming?" he asked.  
  
"Yes," the woman smiled. "He is coming, as well as someone else I'd like you to meet. But first, let's get you ready."  
  
His naneth was just pulling on his shirt when the king walked through the door, picking Legolas up and throwing him up in the air. He caught him with such great ease, it was almost scary. He kissed the woman on the cheek and set Legolas back down on the floor.  
  
"He is here," the king remarked.  
  
"He is? Thranduil, it is too early for him to be here!" she said skeptically.  
  
"No, I dare say it is nearing seven," he said. The woman rubbed her forehead.  
  
"By the sea and stars, I'm getting too old!" she said. "Judging by the sun, I thought it was around four." Before another word could be spoken, there was a rapping at the door. Legolas came next to the woman as she laid her hand on his head.  
  
"Come in," King Thranduil called. The door creaked open, a wizened man appearing. He was not old, perhaps by human standards he was, yet he was no human, even Legolas could tell this. He was one of the Istari, a young one at that. Legolas hid behind his mother's skirt as the man entered the room.  
  
"Greetings my lord, my lady," he said, bowing to each in turn. He noticed the stunned prince and bent down so he was at eye level. "And who is this young lad?" he asked.  
  
"This is our son, Legolas," Thranduil said, using his hand to guide Legolas out from behind his mother's skirt. Soon the elven prince was in front of the young Istari. "Legolas, this is Gandalf," he said. The Istari smiled.  
  
"Pleased to make your acquaintance," he said. With that, Legolas held out his hand for a handshake.  
  
"Pleased to make youw ack-qwai-tas," he said, trying to mimic the big word used by the Istari.  
  
The woman picked up Legolas and balanced him on her hip again as she, the king, and Gandalf walked down the hallway.  
  
~End Flashback~  
  
Legolas no longer had tears running down his cheeks, but there were still more boiling inside of him. Galadriel still cradled him, her sapphire eyes glistening with the pain that Legolas felt. She let him go and stood up, beckoning him to follow. Legolas did as the lady bade, getting to his feet and brushing off his clothes. He followed her almost noiselessly past the sleeping members of the fellowship. She led him down a staircase, leading him to her mirror. She took a pitcher and filled it with water, pouring it into the basin.  
  
"Do you wish to look into the mirror?" she asked, her eyes fixed unblinkingly upon the silent elven prince. He nodded his head hesitantly. She placed the pitcher back near the water and allowed the prince to look into the mirror. He bent over the glassy basin, peering into its seemingly infinite depths. He saw a forest, Gimli, Aragorn, and a bright flash of light. It caused him to look away. When the light had subsided, he looked back into the basin. The vision was gone. He turned to Galadriel.  
  
"I know what it is you saw. It is what will happen...it is inevitable," she said.  
  
"Thank you, milady," he said. Turning away from her, he walked back up the stairs and into the campsite, where he lay on his cloak, contemplating the vision. What was it that he had seen? What caused the bright light? With these thoughts running through his head, he fell into dreams as he heard the sounds of footsteps outside the tent flap, where Frodo was following the Lady Galadriel.  
  
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So this was my first one shot. I don't know how the length was for a one shot. Anyway, please review. If you are going to give me advice, please do so kindly. Thank you. 


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